The feud between two senior women officers, D. Roopa (IPS) and Rohini Sindhuri (IAS) took a new turn with the latter issuing legal notice and seeking damages to the former. A legal notice was issued to IPS officer D. Roopa over her remarks and demanded an "unconditional apology in writing" as well as Rs 1 crore in damages "for loss of reputation and mental agony".
The notice was issued in reference to D. Roopa targeting Rohini on Facebook and accusing her of 19 allegations including corruption. Rohini said that if her conditions are not followed then D. Roopa will have to face court proceedings.
Roopa had claimed that she violated the service conduct rules by sending her photos to senior IAS officers.
"The comments/statements/allegations made by you has put our client and her family members to untold mental agony. It has ruined her image in professional, personal and social life. She is spending sleepless nights as her moral uprightness, character and conduct have become the topic of discussion amongst one and all known to her and in the administrative/ bureaucratic circle in particular," notice read.
"Though the damage caused to the image and reputation of our client cannot be measured and compensated in terms of currency, our client, however restricts the same to the notional figure of Rs 1,00,00,000/- (Rupees One Crore Only). You have made yourself liable to pay our client the sum...as damages," it added.
They both were transferred without a posting after the public slugfest.
Roopa, was serving as the managing director of Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation, and Sindhuri held the post of the commissioner for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments.
The trigger for the face-off between the two officers was a photo of Sindhuri with JD(S) MLA Sa. Ra Mahesh and another senior bureaucrat Manivannan at a restaurant that had gone viral. Roopa questioned the intent and purpose of Sindhuri's meeting with an elected representative and alleged that the two had struck a deal. It may be recalled that Mahesh had wanted to move a privilege motion against the officer.
With Roopa sharing private pictures of Sindhuri, the feud between them got worsened.
Roopa, in a Facebook post, had put a long list of alleged corruption charges against Sindhuri, including an oxygen shortage in Chamrajnagar that caused 24 deaths during the pandemic.